Lani Minella
Born
Lani Jean Minella

(1950-07-28) July 28, 1950 (age 73)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Alma materSan Diego State University
Occupation(s)Voice actress, voice director, producer
Years active1992–present
Websitelaniminella.com

Lani Jean Minella (born July 28, 1950)[1] is an American voice actress, voice director, and producer mostly working in the games industry. She is also the founder and owner of the voice-acting agency AudioGodz.[2]

Career

After college, Minella started on Morning Drive radio for an alternative station in the late 1980s. After hearing her celebrity impersonations, GTE Interactive Media contacted her and asked her to imitate voices from the film FernGully: The Last Rainforest, which was being pitched for a LaserDisc presentation to Magnavox and Philips.[3] She was then referred by the company to their CD-Roms division, where she worked on more voices and assisted script writing on games for children.[4] Minella asked the company if there were others doing similar work, and they suggested that she should go to trade shows, which led her to attend showcases like Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Game Developers Conference in San Jose, and Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, where she gave out business cards but failed to get any offers. This led her to start her AudioGodz, a production company specializing in all aspects of voiceovers from talent to casting, directing, writing and production, in 1992.[5]

In 1996, Minella worked on a major first-person shooter video game, Duke Nukem 3D, as voice director and actress, voicing most of the female characters in the series. She helped cast the voice actor of Duke Nukem, Jon St. John. She met Jon when she was cast as the voice for a commercial he was producing in San Diego. After being impressed by her voices, Jon imitated the voices back at Minella and she asked if he had ever done voice acting for video games. She shortly got him a telephone interview with the game's creator, George Broussard, and eventually got him the part of Duke.[6]

Minella's first major voice role in a video game was for Her Interactive's adventure-mystery series Nancy Drew, starring as the titular character Nancy Drew, debuting with 1998's Secrets Can Kill. Minella reprised her role as Nancy Drew in 31 other video games, with her last being Sea of Darkness in 2015. HeR Interactive's CEO then decided to find a voice actress local to the Seattle area (Minella resides in San Diego).[7]

Since starting her career and becoming well known for her unique four-octave vocal range,[8] Minella has provided voices for many voices for other characters in a variety of video games, including Rouge the Bat in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Ivy Valentine in the Soulcalibur series, and Lucas in the Super Smash Bros. series.

Personal life

Minella is half-Italian from her father's side.[9] In her spare time, she does vocal coaching, gardens, and takes care of her rescue pets.[10]

Filmography

Animation

List of voice performances in animation
Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source[11]
2002 Burn-Up Excess Maya Jingu, others English dub Resume
2003 .hack//SIGN Girl English dub [12]
2003 Geneshaft Dolce Saito, Chacha, others English dub [13]
2006 Justice League Unlimited Mayor of Central City Episode: "Flash and Substance" [13]
2007 All Grown Up! Kid, Old Woman Episode: "TF + KP" [13]
2018 Motown Magic Lorenzo [13]

Feature films

List of voice performances in feature films
Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source[11]
1992 FernGully: The Last Rainforest Background voices Debut voice role, LaserDisc release
2019 The Queen's Corgi Ginger US Version [14]
2019 It Chapter Two Loop Group Tweet[15]

Video games

List of voice performances in video games
Year Title Role Crew role, notes, region Source[11]
1995 Astal All voices [13]
1995 Avengers in Galactic Storm Crystal, Doctor Minerva
1995 Night Light All voices except Pixel Voice actor and script writer
1996 Bubsy 3D All voices Voice talent [13]
1996 Candy Land Adventure Captain Cookie, Princess Lolly, Queen Frostine, Gramma Nut, Tree 2, Red Ant 1, Queen Bee, Miner 1 [13]
1996 Diablo Adria the Witch, Wirt the Peg-Legged Boy [13]
1997 Snowboard Kids Slash Kamei, Nancy Neil, Jam Kuehnemund, Linda Maltinie, Mr. Dog [13]
1997–2002 The Land Before Time games Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Chomper, Spike, Mo Voice characterization [13]
1997 Nightmare Ned Sarah Needlemeyer Video game only [13]
1998 StarCraft Dropship Pilot [16]
1998 Rocky & Bullwinkle's Know-It-All Quiz Game Sherman [13]
1998–2015 Nancy Drew games Nancy Drew, various characters [13]
1999 Snowboard Kids 2 Slash Kamei, Damien, Wendy Lane [13]
1999 Blue Stinger Janine King Voice actor and director [13]
1999 Evil Zone Alty Lazel, Midori Himeno, Ihadurca [13]
1999 Duke Nukem: Zero Hour Female Commander Voice actor [13]
1999–2004 Sonic the Hedgehog games Station Square Announcer, Omochao, Rouge the Bat, Void Voice actor and director; US/EUR/NA [13]
1999 Tail Concerto Waffle Ryebread, Panta [13]
1999 40 Winks Ruff, Tumble, Robot Tumble, mother [17]
2000 Maken X Kei Sagami, various voices [18]
2000 Evil Dead: Hail to the King Anne Knowby, Grammy, Deadites [13]
2000 D2 Martha [19]
2001 Diablo II: Lord of Destruction Blood Raven, The Countess, Andariel, Malah, Ancients [13]
2001 Half-Life: Decay Colette Green [13]
2001 AirBlade Kat Voice actor and director [13]
2001 Frogger: The Great Quest Various characters [13]
2002 Backyard Baseball 2003 Sunny Day, Vinnie the Gooch, others [13]
2002 Slots from Bally Gaming Olive Oyl, Betty Boop [13]
2002 Backyard Football Sunny Day, others [13]
2003 Rogue Ops Nikki Connors [11]
2003 Go! Go! Hypergrind Piggy Sue, Bob, Jenny [11]
2004 Counter-Strike: Condition Zero Female VOs (deleted scenes) Casting (over 200 voices), director [20]
2005 Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Female Spider, Reaper Creature [11]
2005–present Soulcalibur games Ivy Valentine Voice actor [13]
2006 The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth II Galadriel, Spider Rider [13]
2006 Runaway 2: The Dream of Turtle Gina Timmins, Tarantula, Alpha, Aolani, Rosa [13]
2007 Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn Mia, Micaiah, Mist, various others Voice actor [13]
2007-2013, 2018 Professor Layton games Luke (US English), Flora, Emmy, various others [13]
2008 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Lucas, Lyn (English), Pit (English) [11]
2008 Penumbra: Black Plague Hive Mind [13]
2008 Penumbra: Requiem Dr. Richard Eminiss [13]
2008 Mother 3 (Fan Translation) Lucas Fan translation patch
2009 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Lucia von Bardas [13]
2009 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Omochao DS version only; archive footage [13]
2009 Borderlands Steele [13]
2009 New Super Mario Bros. Wii Larry Koopa, Morton Koopa Jr., Wendy O. Koopa and Lemmy Koopa [11]
2010 Darksiders Silitha, Tiamat [13]
2010 Star Trek Online M'Tara, T'Nae, Sirella, Taris, Taelus, Vishka, Mivek, Computer voice, Jhu Terel, B'Elanna Torres, Nadel, others Voice actor, casting, and director
2010 Amnesia: The Dark Descent Girl, Mother, Clarice Voice director [13]
2011 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution Hive Mind [13]
2011 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim The Night Mother, Nocturnal, Aranea Ienith, Cindiri Arano, Dravynea the Stoneweaver, Idesa Sadri, Ildari Sarothril, Irileth, Jenassa, Marise Aravel, Niluva Hlaalu, Priestess of Boethiah, Sabine Nytte, Suvaris Atheron, Synda Llanith, Tilisu Severin, Katria, Female Dunmer [20]
2011 Mortal Kombat Sindel, Sheeva [21]
2012 Mass Effect 3 Eve, Asari Medic [13]
2012 New Super Mario Bros. 2 Larry, Morton, Wendy and Lemmy [11]
2012 Lucius Mary [13]
2012 New Super Mario Bros. U Larry, Morton, Wendy and Lemmy [11][22]
2013 StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Slivan [13]
2013 The Last of Us Clickers, Runners, Bloaters Voice actor [13]
2014 Strider Nang Pooh, Xi Mang Wu, Female broadcaster [13]
2014 Off The Record: The Italian Affair Gabriella [13]
2014 Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Larry, Morton, Wendy, Lemmy, Lyn (English), and Lucas [13]
2015 Awesomenauts Nibbs [23]
2016 Rad Rodgers: World One The Jungle Elder [13]
2017 Fire Emblem Heroes Mia [13]
2017 XCOM 2 War of the Chosen Chosen Assassin [13]
2017 Remothered: Tormented Fathers Gloria, Red Nun As Lani "Alien Ilmann" Minella [24][20]
2018 Subnautica Sea Emperor Leviathan [13]
2018 Remothered: Tormented Fathers Gloria Ashmann, Red Nun [13]
2018 War for the Overworld: The Under Games Overlord Lamash [25]
2018 God of War Pesta [26]
2018 Bendy and the Ink Machine Lacie Benton [27]
2018 Dark Parables: Return of the Salt Princess Serafina, Fire Witch, Fire Doll Voice actor
2018 Dark Parables: The Match Girl's Lost Paradise Forest Witch Voice actor
2018 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Lucas, Lyn (English), Larry, Morton, Wendy, Lemmy [13]
2019 MediEvil Narrator [28]
2020 Summit of the Wolf Adena, Deana Kethagee, Epha Ilo, Narrator, Ori, SallyGropner, Wanda the Tree
2020 The Last of Us Part II Clickers, Runners, Bloaters Voice actor [13]
2020 Wasteland 3 Other VO (Less than 40 lines) (As Lani Manilla)
2020 Remothered: Broken Porcelain Additional voice
2020 Sim Settlements 2 Judge Bishop, Shhandy
2020 World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Additional voices
2020 Remothered: Double Pack Gloria Ashmann
2021 Choices: Stories You Play Olivia Ashton, Rachel Winthrop, Mary Zilberg, Kenna Rys, Audrey, Fiddler, Officer Dawes
2021 The Captain is Dead Diplomat
2021 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury Boom Boom, Pom Pom
2021 Shadow Man Remastered Nettie
2021 Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Eve, Asari Medic
2021 Chivalry 2 Female Agathian Warrior
2021 Happy's Humble Burger Farm Happy the Humble Heifer, Monsters
2022 Sucker for Love: First Date Nyanlathotep Voice actor [1]
2022 Lord of the Rings Online: Rangers and Ruins Hrimil
2022 Chivalry 2: Tenosian Invasion Tenosian Tigris
2022 Hearthstone: Voyage to the Sunken City Lady S'Theno, Eelbound archer, Twinbow Terrorcoil [20]
2022 Identity V Keigan Nicholas Keogh (Clerk) [20][29]
2022 Back 4 Blood (Tunnels of Terror) Cultist Sniper [20]
2022 Overlode Female Drone [20]
2023 Dead Space (Remake) Necromorph [20]
2023 Killer Klowns from Outer Space (the game) Klownzilla, Tank, Tracker, Scout Casting, director [20]

Podcast

List of voice performances in podcasts
Year Title Role Notes Source[11]
2016–2017 Liberty: Critical Research Baal
2016–2019 Liberty: Tales From the Tower Various
2017–2022 The White Vault Dr. Rosa De Le Torre Main; season 1-2; guest season 4; recurring season 5) [30][31]
2020–2021 VAST Horizon Commander Graan

References

  1. ^ a b "Lani Jean Minella". californiabirthindex.org. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  2. ^ Gnatek, Tim (November 4, 2004). "Giving Voice to Video Games". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  3. ^ Sweeney, John (November 2, 2015). "Performance Matters: Interview with Veteran Voice Actress Lani Minella". SuperNerdLand. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  4. ^ AKA Knuckles Echidna, Josh (April 2, 2001). "Lani Minella interview". Sonic Retro. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  5. ^ Shirgley, Chris (July 30, 2015). "Immortal Darkness Interview: Lani Minella, Voice Actor". Immortal Darkness. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  6. ^ Dominguez, James (August 27, 2014). "Duke Nukem speaks: how a radio station director became one of gaming's most iconic voices". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  7. ^ "Interview with Lani Minella". Phoenix Star. January 23, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "Lani Minella – Videogame Voices". NandrewForever YouTube channel. June 28, 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "Interview with Lani Minella: face to face with Ms. Gloria". Remothered.com. April 11, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "About". thewhitevault.com. 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Lani Minella's Credits" (PDF). Lani Minella. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  12. ^ ".hack//SIGN (TV) – Anime News Network". Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb "Lani Minella (visual voices guide)". BTVA. Retrieved December 7, 2018. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.((cite web)): CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  14. ^ "I play a redhead Scottish stable boy Ginger in this". Retrieved December 7, 2018 – via Facebook.
  15. ^ Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (September 12, 2019). "Just heard a few of my creature voices made it into this movie. After it's been out a while and if I get to see it, I'll let you know which ones. Yay!" (Tweet). Retrieved September 12, 2019 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "Phoenix Interviews Lani Minella". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ "Isn't that your voice? 🙂". September 4, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2019 – via Facebook.
  18. ^ Atlus (2000-04-21). Maken X (Dreamcast). Sega. Scene: Credits.
  19. ^ "thanks to Joshua Negron for digging up one of the voices I did in Dreamcast's D2". June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2019 – via Facebook.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i http://www.laniminella.com/assets/lani_minella_resume.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  21. ^ Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (March 18, 2015). "@Isti91 No I was in Mortal Kombat 9 as Sindel and Sheeva. Never contacted about X." (Tweet). Retrieved February 28, 2018 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "New Super Mario Bros. U".
  23. ^ "Ronimo Games' YouTube Channel" – via YouTube.
  24. ^ "Let us introduce you to Lani Minella". March 28, 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved December 7, 2018 – via Facebook.
  25. ^ Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (April 18, 2018). "Meet Underlord Lamash – War for the Overworld: The Under Games youtu.be/ynZnkgCwnXQ via @YouTube 2 days until release. Check it out. I play other characters too. Fantastic company and people to work with!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via Twitter.
  26. ^ Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (April 20, 2018). "God of War – Story Trailer | PS4 youtu.be/K0u_kAWLJOA via @YouTube Out today! Lucky to play a norse witch (Pesta). Check it out. Thank you Sony!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ "Thanks to Lauren Synger and theMeatly, I am honored to be part of Bendy and the Ink Machine. Very fun game. Check it out". May 2, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2019 – via Facebook.
  28. ^ Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (May 9, 2019). "Here is just the clip from today's live Sony announcement. Yes I'm the Narrator and thankful" (Tweet). Retrieved June 8, 2019 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (March 25, 2022). "Happy to be these voices in this game..identity V. Enjoy!" (Tweet). Retrieved October 16, 2022 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "About Us". The White Vault Podcast. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  31. ^ "The White Vault". The White Vault Podcast. Retrieved 2022-06-30.

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